Gun crimes aren’t caused by politicians

In his Sept. 30 column “Second Amendment Love,” Waddell Hamer criticizes a South Carolina political fundraising event being referred to as a “machine-gun social.” Dean Allen, who is running for adjutant general, hosted the event, in which locals could get ammunition to use for target practice along with barbecue for $25.

Rather than limiting his criticism to this admittedly unique method of raising funds, however, Hamer takes a leap in logic by attempting to connect this event with crime and murder in his hometown of Gary, Ind.

Hamer states that “crime continues to be a problem that plagues many places in America. Considering this, one would think that Gary – or any other place in the country for that matter – already has enough guns and need no more.” What he fails to mention is that crime has plummeted in major cities across the nation. New York City, Los Angeles and Washington are all on track to have fewer murders this year than in any other year in the last four decades.

Hamer fails to mention that the violent crime rate for the entire U.S. has fallen consistently for almost two decades and is currently near its lowest point in 35 years, despite the fact that gun ownership has more than doubled in that time.

Further, Hamer says “all who attended had a chance to win a semiautomatic AK-47 ... like we don’t have enough guns on the streets.” He calls the AK-47 “one of the most dangerous guns out there.”

Considering that assault rifles like the AK-47 are used in less than 2 percent of gun crimes, and that they are generally less powerful and have smaller calibers than common hunting rifles, Hamer ought to explain how the AK-47 is “one of the most dangerous guns out there.”

For anyone who is not familiar with firearms, it is certainly understandable to be skeptical of events such as the one hosted by Dean Allen in South Carolina. But if you genuinely care about issues involving crime and society, I implore you to search for facts and truth, and beware of sensationalism like that demonstrated by Hamer.

Adam N. Jacobs
IU senior